His new club, Genoa, have signed the former Champions League and Premier League winner in a last-ditch effort to escape relegation.
The departure of last season’s leading scorers, Mateo Retegui and Albert Guðmundsson, along with injuries to key players like Vitinha, Messias, Malinovskyi, and Ekuban, has left Il Grifone in a precarious position, with a noticeable lack of quality in their attack. Currently fourth from bottom, with the league’s second-worst attack as per xG (expected goals) data, Genoa’s need for a catalyst is evident. Can Balotelli be their unlikely saviour?
Serie A Relegation Market
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Genoa
Serie A To Finish Bottom
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Genoa
Genoa vs Como
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Mario Balotelli To Score
Odds courtesy of Parimatch. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Balotelli marked his official comeback to Serie A in his brief yet striking appearance against Parma on Monday, a match in which Genoa secured their second victory of the season.
Substituted in the 85th minute, his performance was far from headline-grabbing — no goals, no assists, just a yellow card.
Those few minutes, however, captured what Alberto Gilardino, Genoa’s manager and Balotelli’s former national teammate, might consider the beginning of a potentially transformative role for the club.
Balotelli showed willingness, tracking back over seventy metres defensively and committing to the physical demands typically expected from younger, untested spirits.
In a team currently lacking those very qualities, Balotelli’s first appearance could signal the start of meaningful contributions.
Once back to full fitness, Balotelli is expected to complement Andrea Pinamonti, who has scored five goals across all competitions, adding strength and skill to the attack.
The prospect of Balotelli playing in tandem with Pinamonti brings a new dimension, likely to stretch defences with their blend of strength and finesse.
Balotelli’s scoring record is impressive: 189 career goals, including 151 in top-tier leagues and 14 for the Italian national team, making him the Azzurri’s second-highest active scorer behind Ciro Immobile.
His tenure at Adana Demirspor in Turkey, while not widely celebrated, yielded a respectable tally of seven goals in 16 appearances.
While this past record provides a glimmer of hope, the transition back into Serie A comes with its own set of challenges.
Balotelli’s return is not without its share of doubts. His career has been marred by inconsistencies, influenced as much by temperament as by injuries and external factors.
Balotelli’s last stint in Serie A with Brescia ended in relegation disappointment, with Balotelli scoring only five goals in 19 games, fueling narratives of his ability to perform in high-pressure scenarios.
Critics argue that his past in Ligue 1 and the Super Lig does not measure up to the demands of Serie A, a league known for its tactical intelligence and defensive discipline.
Another dimension of Balotelli’s re-emergence into Serie A focuses on his influence within the Genoa locker room. Historically, his presence has been perceived as double-edged, offering potential leadership burdened by controversies and perceived attitude issues.
Genoa, however, rooted in a city with some of the most passionate fans in Italy, believe Balotelli has a chance to rekindle faint embers of hope.
Balotelli’s rumoured role as a primary penalty taker further enhances his appeal in the goalscorers market, especially considering his impressive 91% success rate from the spot (converting 48 out of 53 attempts).
Market odds reflect cautious optimism, with Italian bookmakers offering long-shot odds of 16.00 on Balotelli reaching double digits in goals this season.
While scepticism is visible, it aligns with the consistent narrative surrounding Balotelli’s career, where his ability and delivery have often been at odds. For Genoa, his unpredictability becomes an asset in a season that has been short on clear positives.
Whether Balotelli will rise to the occasion once again remains to be seen, but for now, his presence offers a flicker of reassurance to a club fighting to remain among Italy’s elite.